Responsive To Delivered Sheet Patents (Class 271/176)
  • Patent number: 8925916
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet discharging tray, a sheet discharging roller pair, a full state detection feeler pivotably supported and including a center feeler to measure a height of a center part of the recording medium and an edge feeler to measure a height of an edge part of the recording medium, and a full state detection sensor to detect a position of the full state detection feeler. A distance between a leading edge of the center feeler and an upper surface of the sheet discharging tray is smaller than a distance between a leading edge of the edge feeler and the upper surface thereof. The leading edge of the edge feeler is located closer to the upper surface of the sheet discharging tray than a common tangential line of the sheet discharging roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Masanori Namba, Toshikane Nishii, Mitsutaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8910934
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet ejecting device. The sheet ejecting device includes a sheet stacking section; a bumping section; a sheet ejecting section; a mode selecting section; and a control section. The sheet ejecting section includes a pair of sheet clamping members which clamps one sheet or a plurality of overlapped sheets at a sheet clamping position and moves the one sheet or the plurality of overlapped sheets to a sheet stacking position in the sheet stacking section. The mode selecting section allows selection of an operation mode of the pair of sheet clamping members between a normal mode in which speed of the pair of sheet clamping members is a normal speed and a low speed mode in which a speed is lower than the normal speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20140346726
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes an exit tray and a sheet alignment mechanism. On the exit tray, ejected sheets or ejected sheet sheaves subjected to stapling are stacked. When at least a sheet is ejected, the sheet alignment mechanism aligns the sheets in a manner to be in contact with and catch opposite ends of the sheets stacked on the exit tray from a base end side of the exit tray. When a sheet sheaf is ejected, the sheet alignment mechanism comes in contact with a plurality of points on a topmost surface of the sheet sheaves stacked on the exit tray to detect a height difference between the plurality of points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENTS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi MATSUO, Terumitsu NOSO, Yasunori UENO, Masahiko MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20140339756
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to one aspect of this invention automatically discharges, of sheets remaining on a conveyance path when a sheet being conveyed jams, dischargeable sheets to one of a plurality of sheet retraction units. At this time, the printing apparatus detects the stacked state of sheets discharged to the sheet retraction unit. When the printing apparatus detects that the sheet retraction unit has become a predetermined state, it changes the discharge destination of sheets to be conveyed to the sheet retraction unit, thereby controlling not to further discharge a sheet to that sheet retraction unit. According to this control, when retracting sheets remaining on the conveyance path upon occurrence of a jam in the printing apparatus, occurrence of a new jam can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Takuto Harada
  • Patent number: 8888095
    Abstract: A processing apparatus of cards, etc., includes a stacker, which can lead a card overflowed from a main stacker automatically to an extension stacker. The apparatus includes a stacker provided by a main stacker, an extension stacker at the downstream side of the main stacker, and a switching mechanism for switching discharge of the card from the main stacker to the extension stacker. The switching mechanism includes a stopper to which a tip of the card overflowed from the main stacker is contacted and stopped, and a switching slope switching the discharged card from a main stacker discharging posture to an extension stacker discharging posture. When the card overflows from the main stacker, the card is contacted with the stopper and the switching slope is automatically switched to the extension stacker discharging posture, and the card next to the overflowed is discharged to the extension stacker with a correct order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ai & Di Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsumi Ihara
  • Publication number: 20140312559
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a sheet stacking apparatus comprising: a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet discharged from a sheet discharge port is stacked; a cover portion disposed above the sheet stacking portion and having a facing surface facing a sheet stacking surface of the sheet stacking portion; a driving portion configured to lift and lower the sheet stacking portion; and a controller configured to control the driving portion such that, when a sheet is not stacked on the sheet stacking portion, a distance between the facing surface of the cover portion and the sheet stacking surface of the sheet stacking portion is kept within a predetermined range, and when a sheet is stacked on the sheet stacking portion, a distance between the facing surface of the cover portion and an uppermost surface of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion is kept within the predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasumasa Kidoh
  • Patent number: 8864128
    Abstract: There is provided a sheet discharge unit which includes a tray which a first area and a second area, a discharge mechanism, a pendulum mechanism, a signal transmission mechanism which transmits a first signal and a second signal, a memory, and a controller. The controller judges whether or not a time interval of two sheets discharged consecutively exceeds the first time interval, and judges that the sheets loaded onto the tray up to a height not lower than the reference position, when the time interval of the two sheets exceeds the first time interval, and when the signal transmission mechanism continues to transmit the second signal exceeding the first time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Miyajima
  • Patent number: 8864129
    Abstract: When a second sheet that is different from a first sheet discharged and stacked on a stacking unit is to be stacked on the first sheet, whether or not to apply an alignment process to the second sheet is determined. If it is determined that the alignment process is not to be applied to the second sheet, the second sheet is stacked on the stacking unit. The alignment process is not applied thereto. If it is determined that the alignment process is to be applied to the second sheet, the second sheet is stacked on the stacking unit and the alignment process is applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shin Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8849178
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus including: a sheet detecting member having a plurality of abutment surfaces in a peripheral direction thereof, the sheet detecting member being rotated by a conveyed sheet abutting against one of the plurality of abutment surfaces; a detection portion which operates in association with the sheet detecting member; a sensor which generates a signal based on a position of the detection portion; and an urging portion which generates an urging force for positioning the one of the plurality of abutment surfaces of the sheet detecting member in a waiting position in which the leading edge of a sheet conveyed by a conveying portion abuts against the one of the plurality of abutment surfaces, and thereafter the urging portion switching the urging force to an urging force for positioning, in the waiting position, another one of the plurality of abutment surfaces against which a succeeding sheet abuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Yoshimura, Kenji Watanabe, Minoru Kawanishi, Motohiro Furusawa, Yohei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8833761
    Abstract: A method for monitoring transport of bank notes in a transport system, using sensors arranged along the transport system for sensing transported bank notes, and a control device for monitoring and controlling the transport system using signals from the sensors, from which the control device derives a presence or absence of a bank note at the location of the respective sensor. The signals from all sensors are stored in a memory, and the signals from all sensors are assigned an explicit time statement or clock statement. All transported bank notes are assigned an explicit object code by the control device, and the object code is linked to the explicit time statement or clock statement. Stored signals from the sensors derive the occurrence and type of errors during the transport of the bank notes, and the signals are linked to the bank notes denoted by the object codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Eduard Dukart, Gerhard Sporer, Rudolf Christl
  • Publication number: 20140239576
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sheet ejection device enabled to operate continuously by automatically disabling an intrusion detector while effectively ensuring safety and also provide a sheet ejection method. The sheet ejection device comprises: a paper ejection chain (22b) for conveying paper (W); a first pile (26) or a second pile (26b) having loading plates (27a or 27b) arranged in a multistage manner and used for loading the paper ejected from the paper ejection chain; a first beam sensor (62a or 62b), a second beam sensor (63a or 63b), and a third beam sensor (64a or 64b) for detecting an intrusion into the first pile or the second pile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: KOMORI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadaaki Ushigome, Soichi Nakamura, Akehiro Kusaka
  • Patent number: 8794512
    Abstract: An automated banking machine can cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader that can read from user cards, card data that corresponds to financial accounts. The machine can operate responsive to the read card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The machine can provide users a transaction receipt. The machine includes a cash dispenser that can dispense cash to machine users. Value of dispensed cash can be assessed to an account which corresponds to the read card data. The machine also includes an accepting device that can receive currency bills and/or checks from users. An account that corresponds to the read card data can be credited for the value of received bills and/or checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems division of Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. VanKeulen, Mike R. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 8792794
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit with a nip, two rollers, a guide member, a detection unit and an urging unit. The detection unit is disposed substantially parallel to the guide member opposite to the guide member across a recording medium conveyed between the nip and the two rollers. The detection unit detects jamming of the recording medium on the basis of a pressure greater than a predetermined value applied by the recording medium between the nip and the two rollers. The distance between the guide member and the detection unit is greater than the distance between the guide member and the recording medium passing between the nip and the two rollers while being urged by the urging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jinjyu Okuno
  • Publication number: 20140175730
    Abstract: A media conveying system for aligning a media sheet in a media path of an image forming apparatus may include a first roll mounted across the media path, a second roll mounted relative to the first roll so as to define a first nip between the first roll and the second roll, and a reference edge positioned along a side of the media path. A drive mechanism is coupled to the second roll for translating the second roll in a first direction such that a media sheet positioned in the nip moves in the first direction towards the reference edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Margarito Panal Banai, Jose Jonna Tohay Chavez, Joseph Garces Cornelia, Al Salcedo Pineda, Julio Tagaro Plariza, Malyn Vidal Pumariga
  • Publication number: 20140159305
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet ejection apparatus includes an ejection unit, a thickness detection unit, a thickness storage unit, a sheet detection unit, an acquisition unit, a setting unit, and an adjustment unit. The ejection unit ejects a sheet. The thickness detection unit measures a thickness of the sheet. The thickness storage unit stores thickness information. The acquisition unit acquires a thickness of a preceding sheet. The setting unit sets a gap between the preceding sheet and the sheet in accordance with the thickness of the preceding sheet. The adjustment unit adjusts timing for supplying the sheet to a conveyance path in accordance with the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Toshiki NAKANO
  • Patent number: 8749816
    Abstract: A printing system includes, for example, a printing apparatus which forms an image on a sheet, and a plurality of dollies which are assigned different dolly identification information and used to stack the sheet discharged from the discharging port of the printing apparatus. The printing system also includes a designation unit which designates a dolly to be used for a print job, and an output unit which outputs alert information when the dolly designated by the designation unit is not allocated at the discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Sunada, Mitsuhiko Sato, Naoto Watanabe, Takashi Yokoya
  • Patent number: 8718493
    Abstract: A controller for controlling an image forming apparatus having a light detection unit controls at least two operations including: 1) operation of detecting a jam of a recording sheet in a sheet transfer path based on a light intensity level detected by the light detection unit when image forming is performed; and 2) operation of controlling switching of an operation mode of the image forming apparatus to an energy save mode based on a light intensity level detected by the light detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Nagata
  • Patent number: 8699938
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a rotating member configured to rotate by being pushed by a leading edge of a sheet being conveyed; a sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to a position of the rotating member; a first abutting portion provided on the rotating member and with which the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed comes into contact; and a second abutting portion provided on the rotating member on a side opposite from the first abutting portion with respect to a rotation shaft of the rotating member and configured to come into contact with the sheet being conveyed in the course of the rotation of the rotating member by being pushed by the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisuke Mogi
  • Patent number: 8690146
    Abstract: An apparatus for loading a relatively rigid material in sheets into an operating station of a processing plant, comprises at least a store for storing and feeding the sheets and a loading device. The loading device is provided at least with feed means, disposed downstream of the store with respect to the direction of feed of the sheets, and able to feed the sheets into the operating station. The apparatus also comprises detection means, disposed in correspondence with the feed means, able to detect both the position of the sheets with respect to the feed means, and also the size of the sheets fed. The detection means are also able to vary in a coordinated manner the operating conditions at least of the feed means according to the position and sizes detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panotec SRL
    Inventor: Giuseppe Capoia
  • Patent number: 8672317
    Abstract: A sheet count at which printed sheets are stacked on a sheet stacking unit is received from a user. It is controlled to divide the printed sheets into sheets at the sheet count received from the user and stack the printed sheets on the sheet stacking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Mutsuno
  • Patent number: 8646775
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus includes a turning portion, a sensor outputting a detection signal in response to turning of the turning portion to the detecting position, a first sliding contact portion sliding in contact with the protruded portion so as to move relatively to the protruded portion in an axial direction of the turning portion when the turning portion returns from the detecting position to the home position, and a second sliding contact portion sliding in contact with the protruded portion so as to move relatively to the protruded portion in the axial direction of the turning portion when the turning portion turns from the home position to the detecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Terutaka Endo
  • Patent number: 8622390
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes: a paper feeding section configured to receive a sheet and feed the sheet; a detecting section configured to detect the fed sheet; a standby tray on which the fed sheet is stacked, the standby tray including a first roller configured to convey the sheet; a second roller configured to pivot to come into contact with and separate from the first roller; a processing tray on which the sheet dropped and supplied from the standby tray is stacked, the processing tray holding the sheet while requested processing is applied to the sheet; a paper discharge section configured to receive the sheet subjected to the processing and discharged from the processing tray; and a control section configured to separate the second roller from the first roller according to a result of the detection during conveyance of the sheet to the standby tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naofumi Soga, Shoichi Dobashi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8608166
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance control method in an apparatus including a first conveying path for leading a sheet from a feeing port to a discharge port, a second sheet conveying path for leading the sheet to another conveyance destination, and a decoloring processing section configured to decolor an image formed on the sheet includes: detecting the length of the sheet further on a downstream side than the feeding port and further on an upstream side than a branching point of the first and second sheet conveying paths in a sheet conveying direction of the first sheet conveying path; and changing, if the trailing end of the sheet is not detected in a period after the leading end of the sheet is detected and before the leading end of the sheet reaches the branching point, a first flapper to a state in which the sheet is conveyed to the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 8585051
    Abstract: An image recording device including a recording unit that records an image on a paper sheet conveyed in a conveying direction along a conveyance path, a paper feed tray that feeds the paper sheet to the conveyance path, a stopper unit that holds the paper sheet to stop the conveyance of the paper sheet, a notifying unit that issues a notification requesting removal of the paper sheet held by the stopper unit, and a control unit that controls at least one of the notifying unit to issue the notification requesting the removal of the paper sheet and the stopper unit to release the paper sheet to allow the conveyance of the paper sheet, based on where an instruction for recording an image on another paper sheet is originated, when the paper sheet is held by the stopper unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 8585044
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a first reservoir unit which reserves sheets; a sheet processing unit which implements predetermined processing for the sheets reserved in the first reservoir unit; a discharge unit which includes a stepping motor, and discharges the sheets from the first reservoir unit, the sheets being subjected to the predetermined processing by the sheet processing unit; an obtaining unit which obtains a value regarding weight of the sheets subjected to the predetermined processing; and a control unit which controls the discharge unit to lower a rotation speed of the stepping motor in a case where the value obtained by the obtaining unit is more than a predetermined value in comparison with a case where the value is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaki Matsui
  • Patent number: 8556259
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including, a conveying portion conveying a sheet; a rotation detection portion rotatably provided; a sensor portion detecting the conveyed sheet based on a rotational position of the rotation detection portion; a rotation transmission portion transmitting a rotational driving force to the rotation detection portion to rotate the rotation detection portion in a predetermined rotational direction after the rotation detection portion is rotated by being pushed by the leading end of the sheet; and an urging unit configured to apply an urging force to the rotation detection portion so that the rotation detection portion comes into contact with a surface of the sheet, thereafter the rotation detection portion is returned to a waiting position along with the passage of the rear end of the sheet through the rotation detection portion after the rotation detection portion is rotated by the rotational driving force of the rotation transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8496244
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a control section configured to control a rotating speed of a longitudinal alignment roller, which is set on a recording medium stacking surface of a processing tray and configured to align a recording medium in a longitudinal direction, such that acceleration and deceleration of the rotating speed is performed at least twice during one longitudinal alignment operation and a paddle including a striking paddle configured to strike the recording medium, a dropping paddle configured to drop the recording medium, a draw-in paddle configured to draw the recording medium in a direction of a stopper, a dropping-paddle supporting member configured to support the dropping paddle from the back in a rotating direction of the paddle, and a draw-in-paddle supporting member configured to support the draw-in paddle from the back in the rotating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomomi Iljima, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 8485520
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet stacking apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a plurality of stackers, a plurality of gates, a skew sensor, and a control unit. The gates are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of stackers, and guide the sheets from the conveyance path into the stackers, respectively. The skew sensor detects the skew of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. The control unit drives a gate corresponding to a stacker, in which the sheet is to be stacked, in accordance with the skew value of the sheet detected by the skew sensor upstream of the gate corresponding to the stacker, in which the sheet is to be stacked, in the direction in which the sheet is conveyed along the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toshiki Nakano
  • Patent number: 8459637
    Abstract: A sheet ejecting device for ejecting printed sheets to a stacker one by one, the sheet ejecting device including a pair of ejection rollers; a strengthener, located in a sheet ejection route, for providing a force for a sheet; a bender, arranged to be capable of advancing into and retreating from the sheet ejection route, for canceling out the force provided for the sheet by the strengthener; a driver for moving the bender to advance into and retreat from the sheet ejection route, a sensor for detecting a currently ejected sheet, and a controller for controlling the driver based on a signal sent from the sensor so that the bender can cancel out the force provided for the sheet by the strengthener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinobu Seki
  • Publication number: 20130134659
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes: sheet discharging rollers that receive each of sheets conveyed thereto and discharge the sheets one by one; a shift tray on which the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging rollers are to be stacked; an air blower; and a CPU. The air blower forms an air layer between the shift tray and a sheet when the sheet is discharged onto the shift tray by the sheet discharging rollers, or between a sheet and the sheet that is already placed on the shift tray when the sheet is discharged. The CPU controls an air velocity of air to be delivered by the air blower based on sheet information, thereby causing the air layer to extend to the entire surface of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Kazunori KONNO, Masahiro TAMURA, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Kyosuke NAKADA, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Junya SUZUKI, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro YOSHIZAKI, Kiichiro GOTO
  • Patent number: 8424875
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing sheets for a printing machine, preferably for an electrophotographically operating printing machine, said device comprising at least one sheet transport member which can be driven so as to rotate and which is provided for the detection of a lead edge of a sheet and for depositing the sheet after it has covered a rotating path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jens U. Heise, Bernhard A. Linke, Dieter Gritzuhn, Dirk Dobrindt
  • Patent number: 8413983
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a conveyor mechanism; a motor driver; and a controller for implementing a sheet-conveyance related control by execution of motor control processing in which a control input for a motor is calculated, wherein the controller implements the motor control processing in each sheet conveyance operation such that the control input is repeatedly calculated for conveying the sheet to a target stop position and for keeping the sheet located at the position, and wherein, in the motor control processing, the controller calculates the control input such that, after the sheet has reached the target stop position, the control input is equal to a hold control input required for keeping the sheet located at the position and such that, at a start point of the processing, the control input is not smaller than the hold control input in the processing in a previous sheet conveyance operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 8398353
    Abstract: A print server checks a job ticket for a print job to be processed. When a method of printing set in the printing attributes of the job ticket is case binding, a first thickness of a bookblock is calculated using the paper type set in the printing attributes. The print server calculates a second thickness of a bookblock using the paper type after a change. The print server changes the paper type set in the job ticket when the difference between the first thickness and the second thickness is within a permissible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 8387975
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including, a conveying portion conveying a sheet; a rotation detection portion rotatably provided; a sensor portion detecting the conveyed sheet based on a rotational position of the rotation detection portion; a rotation transmission portion transmitting a rotational driving force to the rotation detection portion to rotate the rotation detection portion in a predetermined rotational direction after the rotation detection portion is rotated by being pushed by the leading end of the sheet; and an urging unit configured to apply an urging force to the rotation detection portion so that the rotation detection portion comes into contact with a surface of the sheet, thereafter the rotation detection portion is returned to a waiting position along with the passage of the rear end of the sheet through the rotation detection portion after the rotation detection portion is rotated by the rotational driving force of the rotation transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8387973
    Abstract: According to one example, there is provided a controller readable medium on which are stored controller readable instructions. The instructions are such that, when executed by a controller, perform the steps of commencing the printing of a print job on a media sheet, determining when about half of the media sheet ejected out of a printer media output is at the level of a stacker unit, activating a first array of fans to retain a portion of the ejected media sheet, completing the print job, and activating a second array of fans to blow the trailing edge of the ejected media sheet over the stacker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Chanclón Fernández, Ricardo Sanchis Estruch, Joan Sanjuán Mercadal, Emilio López Matos, Xavier Alonso Becerro, Ignacio De Olazábal Zugasti, Gianni Cessel
  • Patent number: 8376355
    Abstract: In a sheet discharge device, sheets are sequentially discharged by a sheet discharge roller with a leading end of each of the sheets in the lead in a sheet discharge direction and stacked on a sheet receiving tray inclining relative to a vertical direction. A sheet reverse member is disposed at such a position relative to the sheet receiving tray and the sheet discharge roller that a trailing end of a first sheet discharged by the sheet discharge roller reaches the sheet reverse member before a leading end of a second sheet discharged subsequently to the first sheet collides with the first sheet when a sheet time interval between the trailing end of the first sheet and the leading end of the second sheet is set to a minimum sheet time interval available in continuous sheet discharge in the sheet discharge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitani, Naoya Masuda, Kazuyuki Aoki
  • Patent number: 8376361
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for printed media stack management in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include determining if a media stacker device has been removed from a finishing module during a print job, wherein if it is determined that the media stacker device has been removed from the finishing module during a print job, moving one or more media path selection devices to enable the printed media to be stacked onto a media stacking tray, determining if the media stacker device has been returned to the finishing module, wherein if it is determined that the media stacker device has been returned to the finishing module, moving the one or more media path selection devices to enable the printed media to be stacked onto the media stacker device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Brewer, III
  • Patent number: 8371576
    Abstract: A media sheet stacking implement for an image forming apparatus according to one example embodiment includes an exit nip formed by a first exit roller and a second exit roller for advancing media in a media process direction along a media path and delivering the media to an output bin of the image forming apparatus. A pinching element is mounted along the media path downstream from the exit nip. The pinching element has at least one first member and at least one second member movable relative to the at least one first member between a closed state and an open state. An actuating mechanism is operatively coupled with the pinching element for moving the pinching element between the closed state and the open state to allow the pinching element to hold a trailing end of a media sheet to be delivered to the output bin when in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Darron Palmer Cundick, Daniel Lee Thomas
  • Patent number: 8371577
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device for a sheet handling system, a method and a computer program product are provided for controlling a sheet stacking device of a sheet handling system. The sheet stacking device includes at least one sheet entrance pathway for receiving incoming sheets and a sheet output unit with at least one output tray for stacking the received sheets to form a at least one stack on the at least one output tray. The sheet stacking device further includes a control unit for determining the weight of the stack on the at least one output tray and for providing a control signal if the determined weight exceeds a predetermined value, and a stack separating mechanism for distinguishing two or more stacks on the same output tray, said stack separating mechanism being controlled by the control unit to limit the weight of the distinguished stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: OCE Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Erik J. W. Schoenmakers
  • Patent number: 8317193
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a conveying portion which conveys a sheet, a lever which is pushed by the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion, and moves from a standby position, a detecting portion which generates a signal corresponding to a position of the lever, and generates a first signal when the detecting portion detects movement of the lever in a first moving area from the standby position to a predetermined position and generates a second signal when the detecting portion detects movement of the lever in a second moving area beyond the predetermined position, and a biasing portion which does not apply to the lever a biasing force when the lever is in the first moving area, and applies to the lever a biasing force opposite in a direction in which the lever is pushed by the sheet and moves when the lever is in the second moving area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Yano
  • Patent number: 8313098
    Abstract: A paper transport device is configured to independently drive a paper ejecting roller when predetermined abnormal events occur. When paper-jamming occurs and if no paper is present downstream of a jammed paper or a preceding paper that is present most downstream is located upstream of a predetermined position, the paper ejecting roller is stopped to prevent ejection of papers outside of the paper transport device. When paper-jamming occurs and if a preceding paper that is present most downstream is located downstream of the predetermined position, the paper ejecting roller is independently driven to complete ejection of the preceding paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura, Ichiro Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 8302757
    Abstract: A media storage unit for a media recycler is described. The media storage unit comprises: a first rotary storage device; a second rotary storage device aligned with the first rotary storage device; and storage tape wound around each of the first and second storage devices and including calibration marks disposed along one side of the storage tape. The media storage unit also comprises a sensor for detecting the calibration marks; an entry/exit port between the first and second rotary storage devices through which media items can be inserted or removed; and a controller operable to rotate the first and/or second storage devices to move the storage tape forwards or backwards while sensing the calibration marks to locate either (i) a media item of the desired type for a dispense transaction, or (ii) a space on the storage tape of the required type for a deposit transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Angus, Gordon Walker
  • Patent number: 8292294
    Abstract: A sheet transportation device includes a transportation path for transportation of a sheet, a transportation unit for applying force to a sheet on the transportation path, and an electromagnetic component for driving the transportation unit by receiving supply of electric power. At the sheet transportation device, the absence/presence of a sheet is detected at a downstream side of the region where the transportation unit applies force to a sheet in the transportation path, and counter electromotive force induced in response to electric power being supplied to the electromagnetic component is supplied as the electric power for the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junichi Masuda, Masayuki Watanabe, Takeshi Ishida, Takahiro Tsujimoto, Takahiro Yokoya
  • Patent number: 8292291
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium; a first transportation route that forms a transportation route for the recording medium extending to an outside of the apparatus, and that has a transportation route length longer than a maximum length in a transportation direction of the recording medium, the transportation route length being from an image formation functional unit at a most downstream portion of the image forming unit in the transportation direction to an output position of the recording medium; and a recording medium transportation unit that, upon output of a part of the recording medium from the first transportation route, stops the transportation in a state of holding a remaining part of the recording medium in the first transportation route, and outputs the recording medium to the outside in accordance with pull out operation for the stopped recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidekazu Amamoto
  • Patent number: 8281986
    Abstract: An automated banking machine operative to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative responsive to the card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser operative to dispense cash to machine users and to cause the value of cash to be assessed to financial accounts corresponding to card data. The automated banking machine is further operative to receive currency bills or other sheets from a user and to process and store such sheets through operation of a currency accepting device. The account corresponding to card data may be credited for the value of bills or other sheets received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. VanKeulen, Mike R. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 8256768
    Abstract: A method of aligning transport modules in a printing system, the method including passing at least one substrate media in a process direction through two adjacent belt driven transport modules with one of the two transport modules having a belt steering control disabled. Each of the two transport modules including a transport belt for engaging and conveying the at least one substrate media, which transfers skew between the two adjacent transport modules. The method including detecting a first cross-process position of the transport belt in one of the two adjacent transport modules using a first edge sensor and detecting a second cross-process position of the transport belt in the other of the two adjacent transport modules using a second edge sensor. Further, aligning the two adjacent transport modules based on a relative skew between the two transport modules indicated by the first cross-process position and the second cross-process position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 8251281
    Abstract: An automated banking machine operative to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative responsive to the card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser operative to dispense cash to machine users and to cause the value of cash to be assessed to financial accounts corresponding to card data. The automated banking machine is further operative to receive currency bills or other sheets from a user and to process and store such sheets through operation of a currency accepting device. The account corresponding to card data may be credited for the value of bills or other sheets received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems division of Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. VanKeulen, Mike R. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 8186672
    Abstract: An indicator, such as an alarm or warning, is generated to indicate that a document storage cassette attached to a document handling device (e.g., a currency validator) has reached a particular capacity or is approaching its full capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Mackenzie, Stephen Marsh, Mark H. Greenawalt, Bill Nichols, Phil Pascarella, Rick Lopez, Peter Camilleri
  • Patent number: 8177225
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder of the present invention is provided with a turning/discharging path in a reversing path in order to read images on both sides of documents in lengths less than the main size and discharge in a discharging tray. Further, an aligning wall is provided to bump ends of documents discharged from the turning/discharging path against it. Thus, the documents of which both sides are read are discharged in the sequentially collated state at a high-speed and the aligned state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihito Tokutsu
  • Patent number: 8177224
    Abstract: To ensure a proper stacking order of paper tickets that exit a transaction-based printer, a stacking nip is provided which accepts a first ticket. The first ticket is fed into the stacking nip, and then advanced by the stacking nip for a fixed distance until a trailing edge of the first ticket is positioned before the stacking nip. A second ticket is then fed towards the stacking nip. The first ticket is held in the stacking nip with the trailing edge positioned before the stacking nip until a leading edge of the second ticket overlaps the trailing edge of the first ticket. The trailing edge of the first ticket and the leading edge of the second ticket are then simultaneously advanced through the stacking nip. The first ticket is ejected from the stacking nip into a ticket bin once the trailing edge is advanced through the stacking nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: TransAct Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven A. Supron, Bruce Harris